The Best Kept Secrets
by SurviveWithoutAnyone
Summary: The Mellark's cope with Peeta's reaping-One-Shot - Everlark Week on Tumblr


Wheaton thought he was born to please women. Rye thought he was born to make them laugh. Peeta didn't know what to do with them. He did know that he would do anything for Katniss Everdeen. He was sure she lived simply to give him purpose, even if he she would never know it.

Wheaton and Rye liked to tease Peeta about his unenlightened crush. He had never spoken to her but no physical detail had gone unnoticed. It was uncanny the way he could describe the way the light freckles that kissed her nose and her cheeks directly under her eyes were so symmetrical, if you were to connect the dots, you would reveal a small butterfly. He always got a faraway look in his eyes when he described the way her lips form a light pink rosebud or how even though her eyes were gray, you could detect small flecks of midnight blue if you looked closely enough and the rims of her irises were closer to silver than grey. This fact was the most interesting to Wheaton and Rye because they were sure Peeta hadn't been close enough to see these details in at least 5 years.

When his brothers came to say goodbye in the Justice Building after he had been Reaped, he had hoped for one last sarcastic or witty comment from this brothers. But he didn't get as much as a "Well, at least you'll be forced to talk to her now" or "Make sure you say hello before she shoots you through the eye like a squirrel." No, Rye just gave him an awkward hug and choked out an "I love you bro" before he was ushered out by peacekeepers.

Wheaton looked at Peeta gravely before apologizing to him for not being able to protect him from everything.

As the oldest brother, Wheaton felt it was his job to protect his two baby brothers. He had done a pretty good job of it until he turned 12. After that, his mother had started hitting Peeta and Rye. As they got older, Wheaton became less successful and Peeta ended up receiving twice as many beatings as he ever did. He suspects most the reasoning behind that is Peeta's love of a girl from the Seam who also happens to be the daughter of Mr. Mellark's first love. However, these thoughts don't do anything to numb the pain of his failures. He only wishes he had been young enough to save Peeta from this fate.

Bannock Mellark couldn't save his sons. He was too busy blaming himself for his wife's unhappiness. He was the reason she didn't feel loved. He was the reason she didn't feel she was good enough for him. He does love Angela Mellark. He knows that his life with Lillian would have been different but not necessarily better. But is your love for one person ever the same as your love for another?

He understood more than anyone Peeta's love for Katniss. Katniss and Prim held a special place in his heart as well, both due to Peeta's love for Katniss and Mr. Mellark's love for Lillian in addition to the strength and fierceness Katniss held that caused everyone in District 12 that knew her to admire her. His stomach clenched in pain when Prim's name was called at the reaping. His heart sank when Katniss volunteered to take her sister's place and then completely shattered into a thousand pieces when his own son's name was called. He knew Peeta would die before coming home without Katniss.

Mrs. Mellark accepted Peeta's death the minute his name was called at the Reaping. Not that she wanted to but any mother would have to have been deaf and blind to not notice the way their son loves the way Peeta loves Katniss. She knew just like the rest of the family, Peeta would die for Katniss.

When she told Peeta that she imagined District 12 would have a victor because Katniss is a survivor, she only meant to assure him that his death would not be in vain. She in no way meant to insult him or imply that he wasn't strong enough to come home himself. She knew it was his strength that would keep him from coming home.

From the outside looking in, you would think Angela Mellark hated her husband and her sons, the way that she abused them and treated them. In reality, she was just scared. She had children to replace the love she felt was missing from her marriage only to realize the pain she would feel were they Reaped into the Games would destroy her so she hardened herself against the ache she would be sure to feel were she ever faced with losing a child. Unfortunately, it only caused her to lose her children sooner. They perceived her to be cruel and scornful and by the time they each reached the age of 14 they wanted nothing to do with her.

Now they all sit together and wait for the inevitable fate that awaits the youngest of the Mellark clan.


End file.
